The present invention relates generally to apparatus for adjustably mounting optical elements, such as mirrors, beam splitters, lens, gratings, and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mounting post or support column which may be vertically adjusted over an extended range.
The use of adjustable mounting apparatus for supporting optical components, such as mirrors, beam splitters, lenses, gratings, and the like, is known. Such apparatus frequently include a vertically adjustable post or support column comprising a pair of telescoping elements with a lock assembly which permits the post to be fixed at a desired height.
Of particular interest to the present invention are support columns comprising a vertically translatable threaded shaft and a vertically fixed rotatable nut. The nut is disposed about the shaft, and rotation of the shaft is prevented, typically by a slot and key combination which permits the desired vertical movement. The threaded shaft carries a support plate on its upper end and the entire assembly is secured to a base plate which may be fixed to a surface or other desired location. With such a design, manual rotation of the nut causes the shaft to vertically translate to a desired height. The height can be locked, typically by a separate locking screw which engages the shaft.
While such support column designs have proved successful, they are limited in their range of adjustability. That is, the use of a single translating threaded shaft limits the height adjustability to a range of less than 2:1. In practice, because of mechanical limitations, the range of adjustability is typically much less.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide improved mounting posts and support columns, particularly for use in supporting optical components. The mounting posts should be mechanically simple, sturdy, and easily adjustable, preferably requiring only a single hand for adjustment. The mounting posts should further provide for a height adjustment ratio greater than 2:1, while providing stable support at all points along its adjustment range.